The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for interosseous bone fixation, including a crimpable bone staple and a crimping device, for stabilizing fractured or cut bones.
The use of orthopedic surgery staples for setting and connecting bone fragments is generally known in the art. Israeli Patent No. 64,726 discloses a bone staple and staple spreading tool. The staple comprises a central portion and two legs having serrations on the inward side thereof. The cross section of the central portion is less than that of the legs in order to provide a higher resilience to the central portion. In its untensioned state, the central portion and two legs are slightly curved in an inward direction. However, when the legs are pulled apart by the spreading tool, the curvature disappears since the three components are straightened. The staple is thereafter inserted into bone fragments on opposite sides of a fracture to pull the fragments together as soon as the outwardly directed pulling force on the legs is released. The disclosure of Israeli Patent No. 64,726 states that the elasticity of the staple material will tend to return the staple to its original shape but that the straightened orientation of the legs and central portion is the shape in which the staple should stay within the bone.